Ventilating apparatus.



No. 680,887. Pa't ented Au 20, mm.

W. M. B. REYNULDfi.

VENTILWHWG APPMRMTUS.

(Application filed Mar. 4, (ND MOdBIJ 3 Sheets-Sheel I.

THE NORRIS FETKRS co. pumaLn-uofl wasumm'om n c.

No. .-680,887. Patentd Au 20, l90l.

w. H. B. mvmns.

VENTILATING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Mar. 14, 1%;01.

(No Model.)

3 Shams-Sheet 2.

Wiigesses 2&5,

am iox" No. 680,887. Patented Aug. 20, I901.

W. H. B. REYNULDS.

VENTILA TING APPARATUS.

(Application flledMar. 14, 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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\VILLIAM H. B. REYNOLDS, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

VENTILATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 680,887, dated August 20, 1901. Application filed March 14, 1901. Serial No. 51,130. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. B. REY- NOLDS, a citizen of the United States, resid-' ing at Houston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Ventilating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ventilation, and has for its object to provide an improved ap paratus for ventilating the passenger-coaches of a railway-train and for excluding dust from the interior thereof. It is furthermore designed to provide for'cooling the air supplied to the coach and to maintain the same moist and free from dust and cinders, and, finally, to provide for operating the apparatus from one of the car-axles and to have the device under control so as to properly operate in whichever direction the car may be traveling.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, propor-' tion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of one end of a railway passenger-coach, parts being broken away to show a modified form of the, present apparatus mounted therein. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken'at right angles to Fig. 1 and through the cooling-tank. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail plan section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and showing the preferred arrangement of the apparatus. Fig. 6 is a detail plan view thereof. Fig. 7 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of the air-collecting drum employed with the preferred form of the apparatus. Fig. 8 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of one of the sections of the water-tank.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

To illustrate the application and operation of the present invention there has been shown in the drawings an end portion of an ordinary day coach 1 of a railway-train, in one corner of which is located a cooling-tank 2 and at one side of the usual doorway, so as not to interfere with the latter. This tank is designed to contain a suitable amount of water, which is supplied thereto through a suitable spout or inlet 3, located upon the outer side of the tank or next to the aisle or passage-way of the coach, so as to be conveniently accessible. Within the tank there is provided a plurality of horizontal perforate partitions or baffle-plates 4, which extend alternately from opposite walls of the tank and terminate short of the respective opposite walls. The water-space is below the lowermost plate, and the uppermost plate 5 is of conical shape, so as to shed water that is dropped thereon by means hereinafter described, to maintain a shower or aqueous vapor throughout the upper portion of the tank, through which is passed the air to be supplied to the interior of the coach for the purpose of cooling said air and also for removing all particles of dust and cinders therefrom. External air is supplied to the tank through a supply-pipe 6, which communicates with the interior of the tank just above the level of the water, as at 7, and rises to a point adjacent to the roof and there provided with an elbow that passes laterally outward through the adjacent side of the car, where it connects to the intermediate portion of a drum or aircollector 8, that is secured to the outer side of the coach and immediately under the outwardly-projecting edge portion of the roof, the lower side of the drum being perforated for the reception of air and its ends being closed, so as to prevent smoke and cinders from being drawn into the tank. The air is taken from the tank at the top thereof by means of a pipe 11, that extends downwardly through the floor of the car and communicates laterally with the interior of the casing 12 of a rotary fan or blower 13, that is mounted upon the inner end of a counter-shaft 14, journaled in intermediate hangers 15, that depend from the under side of the floor of the car. This shaft is driven from the adjacent car axle 16 by means of a plurality of endless belts 17, that pass around grooved or flanged pulleys 18 and 19, fixed to the axle and the shaft, respectively, the shaft-pulley being located between the hangers 15.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, it will be seen that the blower-casing is provided with a pair of outwardly converged discharge branch pipes 20 and 21, which communicate with the top and bottom portions, respectively, of the peripheral edge of the casing, so that one branch takes the discharged air when the blower is running in one direction, and the other branch takes the air when the blower is running in the opposite direction, whereby the blower is arranged to discharge in the same direction, no matter in which directionthecaristraveling. Theseconverged branch pipes communicate beneath the car with a main discharge-pipe 22, that terminates in a transverse pipe 23, extending beneath the car to the opposite sides thereof, and from each end of this transverse pipe an upright pipe 24 rises through the floor of the car and adjacent to the inner wall thereof to a point just above the car-windows, where it communicates with a horizontal perforate distributer-pipe 25-, that extends for the entire length of the car to effectively distribute the cooled and. moist air into the interior of the car. It will be understood that each side of the car is provided with similar discharge or distributer pipes.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the ventilating fan or blower is driven from the car-axle both to draw the air from the cooling-tank and to force the same into the interior of the car, the former action causinga suction to draw the external air inwardly through the collecting-drum on the upper portion of the car, and thereby increasing the circulation caused by the movement of the train. In View of the fact that the air is forced into the car by the action of the blower there will be a greater air-pressure within the car than there is upon the outer side thereof, whereby dust and foreign matter will be eifectively excluded from gaining access through cracks and loose joints around the windows-and doors. Thus the car may be entirely closed in warm weather, so as to exclude smoke, dust, and the like and at the same time the interior of the car will be maintained in a cool and. comfortable condition by the constant supply of fresh moist cool air.

To render the supply of air effective in whichever direction the car may be traveling, the branch discharge-pipes are provided with the respective slide-valves 26 and 27, that work through slots formed in the top and bottom of said pipes and are operatively connected for simultaneous movement in the same direction to open one branch and close the other, in order that the proper branch may be open according to the direction of travel of the car. For instance, as shown in Fig. 3, the fan or blower is rotating in the direction of the arrow with the branch'20 closed and the other branch open, the discharge of the fan being into the open branch and out through the main discharge -pipe. Should both branches be open at the same time there would merely be a continuous current of air from the fan through the branch pipes and back to the fan again. Moreover, if the branch 21 were closed and the branch 20 opened there would be no discharge at all, as the action of the fan would be to draw air inwardly through the pipe 20 rather than to discharge outwardly therethrough. It will now be apparent that but one branch is used at a single time, and the two branches are arranged to take the discharge alternately in the opposite directions of travel of the car. The valves are pivotally connected to the adjacent ends of the respective levers 28 and 29, that are fulcrumed intermediate of their ends upon suitable supports 30 and 31, pro jected upwardly and downwardly from the respective branch pipes, the opposite free ends of the levers being pivotally connected to the lower portion of an upright push-rod 32, working longitudinally through an opening formed in the floor of the car and adja cent to the front of the cooling=tank, so that by moving the rod longitudinallyin opposite directions the valves may be simultaneously operated to open one and close the other. A suitable ratchet mechanism or locking device 33 is provided upon the floor of the car to cooperate with the push-rod to lock the same at its opposite limits, and thereby prevent accidental operation of the valves. As shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, it will be seen that each valve-lever has its outer portion offset laterally, so as to lie at one side of the branch pipe and be connected to the push-rod that works at the same side of the pipe.

To maintain a continuous shower or aqueous vapor within the tank, so as to thoroughly saturate the air with moisture, there is provided a rotary pump 34, mounted upon the outer end of the counter-shaft, so as to be driven thereby, and having asupply-pipe 35 passing upwardly through the floor of the car and into the tank, within which the pipe rises so as to take the water at a distance from the bottom of the tank,and thereby avoid carrying sediment and foreign matter into the pump. The water is forced from the pump back into the tank through one of a pair of branch discharge-pipes 36, that rise from opposite portions of the peripheral edge of the pumpcasing and pass upwardly through the floor of the car and at the exterior of the tank, said pipes being joined into a single dischargepipe 37, which arches over the top edge of the tank and dips downwardly through the center thereof, so as to discharge upon the center of the topmost conical baflle-plate 5 within the tank, from which the water descends in a shower or mist and is again taken up by the pump, thereby insuring a constant flow of the water. In view of the bend or elbow at the upper end of the converged discharge-pipes 36 it is not necessary to provide valves for the pipes, as the water will. run out through the elbow when elevated to that height. The two pipes are provided to accommodate the pump to the direction of travel of the car.

When the external air is warm and moist, it is neither essential nor desirable to add moisture to the air supplied to the interior of the car, and therefore a cut-off valve 38 has been provided upon the water-pipe 37 at a point above the tank, so as to be in convenient position for manipulation to cut off the supply of water whenever desired.

It will be understood that the pump and the ventilating-fan have centrifugal actions, and therefore the respective feed-pipes connect to the center of the casings. Any suitable lubricating devices are designed to be carried by the hangers for lubricating the countershaft, and packing-boxes are placed upon the counter-shaft at the inner sides of the respective casings. It is not necessaryto supply oil to the packing-boxes, as the moisture of the water and the damp air maintain the packing material in a moist condition.

The foregoing description relates more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4E inclusive, in which the cooling-tank is mounted within the car; but as such arrangement takes up considerable room it is also designed to mount the entire device wholly upon the exterior of the car and beneath the same, as shown in Fig. 5.

In the latter and preferred arrangement of the device the air and water pumps 39 and 40 are mounted upon a counter-shaft 4L1, hung from the bottom of the car and driven from the adjacent axle in substantially the same manner as hereinbefore described. The cooling-tank 42 is located above and between the opposite pumps, occupying all of the space between the top and bottom of the car-floor and also projecting below the floor and termiuating above the counter-shaft. Within the tank are the perforate baffie-plates 4E3 to produce the shower or mist, as hereinbefore described. The air is supplied to the tank through a pipe 44:, that passes to the outer side of the car and communicates with a drum 45, mounted upon the roof of the car and provided with screen-covered opposite ends to permit of the in ward passage of air and to exclude cinders and other foreign matter. The pipe -14 connects with the middle of the drum, and within the latter there is pivotally hung a valve 46, which is automatically swung in opposite directions by the incoming air and is limited in its movement bythe opposite transverse stops 47, provided within the drum and at opposite sides of the pipe 44, so that the rear portion of the drum is automatically closed in whichever direction the train may be traveling, whereby none of the air can escape outwardly through the rear end of the drum, but is compelled to pass inwardly and downwardly through the supply-pipe at to the cooling-tank. For taking the air from the tank to the air-pump there is a pipe 48, which leads from the central portion of the depressed or substantially conical bottom of the tank to the outer side of the blower, and is provided with the opposite upstanding elbows 49 and 50'to pass the pipe over the top of the blower; The water-tank is entirely separate from the cooling tank and comprises a plurality of tank-sections 51, which are alternately connected at opposite ends by the pipe connections 52, so as to form a Water-coil to permit of any sediment settling to the bottom of each coil or section. Each section is provided with a normally-closed drain opening 53 in the bottom thereof, and one of the end sections is provided with a filling-opening 5st. As plainlyindicated in Fig. 6, the water-tank is located in rear of the counter-shaft and upon substantially the same level therewith. Any suitable hangers 55 may be employed to suspend the watertank from the bottom of the car. Communication is bad between the bottom of the air-tank and one end of the water-tank by means of a pipe 56, which passes from the lower side of the pipe 48 into one end of the tank-section that is next to the blower 39. It will be here noted that the elbow 49 of the air-pipe 48 rises therefrom, While the waterpipe 56 is pendent from the same pipe 48, whereby the heavy water will readily run down into the water tank without being sucked upwardly by the blower 39. The water is taken from the tank to the pump by means of a pipe 57, which is provided with an intermediate valve 58 to shut off communication between the tank and the pump in damp weather, when it is not necessary nor desirable to further moisten the air supplied to the interior of the car. It will be understood that the air is conveyed from the airpump to the interior of the car in the manner shown and described for the first-described form of the apparatus and the water is carried from the pump to the air-tank by means of a branched pipe 59.

hat is claimed is' 1. In a car ventilating apparatus, the combination with one of the axles of a car, of a cooling-tank, having an air-inlet, an air--out let, and internal baffle-plates, a water-inlet in the top, and a water=outlet at the bottom, a counter-shaft in operative relation to the axle, a rotary blower and a rotary pump mounted upon and driven by the shaft, a pair of branch pipes constructed to respectively take the discharge from the pump in its opposite directions of rotation and in communication with the water-inlet of the coolingtank, a return-pipe from the water-outlet to the pump, an air-pipe from the air-outlet to the blower, a pair of branch pipes connected to the blower and constructed to respectively take the discharge thereof in its opposite directions of rotation, valves for the branch pipes, means for simultaneously opening the valve of one pipe and closing the valve of the other pipe, and a main distributer-pipe connected to the branch pipes.

2. In a car-ventilating apparatus, the combination With one of the axles of a car, of a cooling-tank located below the car-floor, and provided with internal baffle-plates, a combined air and water inlet at the top of the tank, a compartment Water-tank hung from the bottom of the car, a water-discharge pipe leading from the bottom of the cooling-tank to one end of the water-tank, a counter-shaft located below and projected at opposite sides of the cooling-tank and also in operative relation to the car-axle, a rotary blower mounted upon and driven by one end of the shaft, and a rotary pump mounted upon and driven by the opposite end of the shaft, a water-pipe connecting the opposite end of the water tank to the pump, a pair of branch pipes leading from the pump to the combined air and water inlet of the cooling-tank, and constructed to respectively take the discharge in the opposite directions of the operation of the pump, an air -pipe from the cooling -tank to the blower, a pair of branch pipes leading from the blower and constructed to respectively take the discharge therefrom in the opposite directions of rotation thereof, valves for the branch pipes, means for simultaneously opening one valve and closing the other, and a main distributer-pipe connected to the branch pipes.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM H. B. REYNOLDS.

Witnesses:

JAY T. ROGERS, WALTER MALsEr. 

